


Of Nail Polish and Chiffon Skirts

by RainbowMatildas



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Gender Identity, Genderfluid Loki (Marvel), Loki is a good mom, Precious Peter Parker, Queer Themes, Questioning, Some Plot, not peter/loki you nasties
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-05
Updated: 2018-07-05
Packaged: 2019-06-05 22:45:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15180998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RainbowMatildas/pseuds/RainbowMatildas
Summary: In which Peter asks a lot of questions, and Loki begrudgingly gives some answers.(Ft. genderfluid Loki, discussions of identity and expression, and manicures)





	Of Nail Polish and Chiffon Skirts

**Author's Note:**

> Loki and Peter are probably my favorite characters in the MCU, and there aren't enough fics for them, so here's this mess.  
> I'm totally open to writing more about their friendship, so lemme know if you'd like anything specific for future chapters!

“Uh, Mr. Loki? Or, sorry, uh, Miss Loki? Miss, right?” Peter stammered from the doorway, his cheeks warming. “Or is it Your Highness?”

Loki watched the spiderling stumble over his words with an amused smirk, tapping a manicured finger against her chin. “For the sake of your mental stability, you may simply call me Loki. No titles necessary,” she said firmly.

Peter visibly relaxed. “Oh, good, I was worried you were gonna get mad and try to kill me again- not that you’re bad or anything! Just that you maybe kinda were that other time you tried to kill me and the rest of the planet? But I know you’ve changed and all, I just, uh, didn’t want to offend you, ‘cause then you might sorta... hurt me.”

“Do calm yourself, child,” Loki cut him off. As much as she loved making humans squirm, particularly the Avengers, the youngest resident of Stark Tower was marginally more tolerable than his teammates. “I have no current plans to destroy your planet. My only current objective is to answer whatever ridiculous question you came in here to ask so you will leave.”

Peter chewed his lip.

Loki rolled her eyes, fighting back a sigh. “Peter. Ask the question.”

“Do you think humans can do that, too?” Peter blurted out, wringing his hands.

Loki blinked. “You will have to elaborate,” she said slowly.

“Like... what you do. The sometimes boy, sometimes girl thing? That.” A pink blush spread across the earthling’s face, and Loki had the feeling he was fighting the urge to cover it with his hands.

She hummed. “Do I think you _can?_ Child, you can do anything you want. You don’t need anyone’s permission, least of all for something so inconsequential.” She chuckled, mostly to herself, examining the neat gold polish on her fingernails. “You Midgardians are so amusing.”

A sniffle came from the doorway.

Loki glanced up to find Peter scrubbing at watery eyes with his sleeve, visibly trembling in his effort to keep the tears from falling. She had a brief tussle with the metaphorical angel and devil on her shoulders before exhaling slowly. Stark already had his eye on her- no good would come from making his precious spider boy cry. Reluctantly, she cleared her throat and opened her arms.

Peter stared at her.

“Oh, please. Don’t tell me the Avengers’ darling trophy child doesn’t know what a hug is,” she scoffed.

A moment later Peter was launching himself at her, throwing his arms around her with such force she nearly fell off the couch.

“I’m sorry, it’s just- you’re the only person I’ve ever met who’s so... so open about it. It’s like you don’t even care,” Peter sniffled against her shoulder. Normally, she’d recoil, but for some reason she couldn’t find it in herself to care.

Loki carded her fingers through his tousled hair. “Of course I don’t care,” she said. “Peter, there’s far more important things in the universe than names or appearances. Even if you can’t change your physical form quite like this,” she added when he began to protest.

Peter pulled away to wipe at his tears. “So... if I maybe asked to go by ‘she’ or wore a skirt one day, you don’t think the team would care?” He asked hopefully.

“I don’t think _you_ should care whether they care,” she corrected smoothly, brushing his hair away from his eyes. “All that matters is that you feel right in your skin.” After a moment, she dropped her voice to a whisper to add, “But I know they would never mind.”

He managed a wobbly smile. “Thanks, Loki. Could I ask one more thing?”

Loki raised one perfect eyebrow. “Proceed.”

“Could you maybe show me how to paint my nails?” Peter asked sheepishly. “I’m not very good at it...”

She sighed and waved her hand, catching the bottle of polish that dropped into her waiting palm. “Hand.”

Peter eagerly held out his fingers with a wide grin. He listened carefully to all of her instructions as she neatly painted on a coat of rich purple, asking questions and commenting on her quick strokes. They spent the rest of the day like that, doing their nails and chatting like they’d known each other for years.

And when Peter nervously shuffled into breakfast the next morning in a black chiffon skirt, getting all sorts of compliments from the Avengers present, Loki merely pressed a fond kiss to his temple and handed him a plate.

**Author's Note:**

> If you're looking for another good Loki & Peter being buds stories, check out [On a Dime](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15060818/chapters/34915895) by LiliyElk13. It's a personal favorite!


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